Location: Kurunegala, North Western Province
Date of visit: 28th October 2010
Today I sought some adventure climbing Ethagala (Elephant Rock), the large rocky outcrop that gives the town of Kurunegala its name – “Kurune” translating to Tusker and “Gala” to Rock in Sinhala. Ethagala is the largest of the seven rocky outcrops surrounding the town, rising 325 m above Kurunegala with the white “Samadhi Buddha” statue sitting atop. I had often heard about the splendid views from top and decided it was time to feast my Canon 450D on them.
Getting There
I arrived at the foot of Ethagala after a short bicycle ride through town. You get there following signs towards the Municipal offices or Kachari, and then baring right when you come upon a Bank of Ceylon. The road to the top is only about 1.7 km, but unfortunately was a little too steep for my cycle. So having ditched it under a tree, I decided to climb afoot. There are two possible trails; the first, more scenic one, leads through the “Ibbagala Vihara” Buddhist temple situated half way up the rock. This was my choice for the climb up and took about an hour to the summit, including stops to catch my breath and absorb the scenery. The second trail, one I used for my descend, is a much steeper but got me down in about 15 minutes.
Samadhi Buddha
Frankly, I was a little disappointed with the overall experience as it did not live up to the hype. The views of Kurunegala are not that spectacular– while you could see most of town from top, its architecture and layout doesn’t offer much and is quite bland in comparison to the likes of Kandy or Colombo. However, the trip was a good escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown and I did also encounter a troop of monkeys to entertain me along the way. Furthermore, the “Samadhi Buddha” statue welcoming visitors to the top certainly is remarkable. Built in 2003, it is currently listed as the tallest statue in Sri Lanka and stands (or sits) at a hight of 27 m or 88 feet.
Goto main Kurunegala page: Town of Kurunegala
The view of a Lake from the area where the Buddha Statue is situated is magnificent. Evening climbs are great. And afterwards a movie at the nearby theater….
Recent blog post by Julian: Feeling that he never fathomed
Sounds like you’ve done the hike, glad you enjoyed it!
Recent blog post by Lasith: Origins of Buddhist Literature at Aluvihara